Application Of The Ultrasonic Technique For The Measurement Of The Dispersed Phases Concentrations In Three-phase Oil-continuous Mixtures

Abstract

This paper examines the possibility of eliminating or diminishing the need for mixing and separation in multiphase flow metering (MFM) systems by means of the ultrasonic technique. First, a configuration of a complete MFM system using the ultrasonic is proposed and thoroughly discussed. Next, visual data and ultrasonic data in oil-continuous two- and three-phase mixtures in 54-mm diameter acrylic pipes are presented to support the proposed use to the ultrasonic technique. USP mineral oil (white oil) and 80-600 μm glass beads were used to simulate the petroleum and sand contents, respectively. Tap water was used to simulate the brine in multiphase flows. The ultrasonic data are then carefully analyzed in order to obtain the dispersed phases concentrations from the ultrasonic signals. © BHR Group 2012.185198Gold, R.C., Miller, J.S., Priddy, W.J., (1991) Measurement of Multiphase Well Fluids by Positive Displacement Meter, , BP Intl. Ltd. Offshore Europe, 3-6 September Aberdeen, United KingdomGoncalves, J.L., Paiva, T.A., Abud Jr., J.R., Carvalho, R.D.M., Venturini, O.J., Development of a Multiphase Flow Metering Procedure Based on the Ultrasonic Technique 15th International Conference on Multiphase Production Technology. 2011, , Cannes, France: BHR Group LimitedCorneliussen, S., (2005) Handbook of Multiphase Flow Metering, , Norwegian Society for Oil and Gas Measurement (NFOGM) and The Norwegian Society of Chartered Technical and Scientific Professionals (TEKNA). ISBN 82-91341-89-3Babelli, I.M.M., In search of an ideal multiphase flow meter for the oil industry (2001) The Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 27 (2 B), pp. 113-126Falcone, G., Hewitt, G.F., Alimonti, C., Harrison, B., Multiphase Flow Metering: Current Trends and Future Developments SPE 2002 Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, 30 September-3 October 2001. New OrleansKouba, G.E., Shoham, O., Shirazi, S., Design and performance of gas liquid cylindrical cyclone separators BHR Group 7th International Conference on Multiphase 95, 1995Scheers, L., Multiphase Flow Metering: On its way from nursing to mature technology Hydrocarbon Production Accounting Workshop. 2008. Moscow, Russia(2004) Micro Motion-Inc White Paper: Explaining How Two-phase Flow Affects Mass Flowmeters, , Emerson Process Management. Boulder, Colorado, USA(2012) Catalog Multiphase Flow Meter 50 Series, , http://www.agarcorp.com/Literature/MPFM50.html, Solutions, A.C.P.M.C., 01(2012) Catalog Multiphase Metering Systems (Remms). Red Eye 2G Water-Cut Meter, , http://www.ep-solutions.com/solutions/EP/Red_Eye_, Weatherford I. Ltd. janCai, S., Toral, H., Experience in field tuning and operation of a multiphase meter based on neural net characterization of flow conditions FLOMEKO 2004. 2004: Gulin, China(2006) Ultrasonic Transducers Technical Notes, , Panametrics' Notes. Olympus, NTanahashi, E.I., Paiva, T.A., Grangeiro, F.A., Carvalho, R.D.M., Venturini, O.J., Bannwart, A.C., Bizotto, V.C., Application of the Ultrasonic technique for monitoring intermittent liquid-gas flows and liquid-solid flows (2010) 7th North American Conference on Multiphase Technology (MPNA 2010)Carvalho, R.D.M., Bannwart, A.C., The Use of the Ultrasonic Technique for the Study and Online Monitoring of Multiphase Flows (2010) Advances in Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer, pp. 144-177. , D.M. L. Cheng, Editor. Bentham Science PublishersCarvalho, R.D.M., Venturini, O.J., Tanahashi, E.I., Neves Jr., F., Franca, F.A., Application of the Ultrasonic Technique for the Study of the Structure of Air-Water Bubbly Flows (2009) Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 33 (7), pp. 1065-1086Corneliussen, S., (2005) Excel File from Handbook of Multiphase Flow Metering, , www.nfogm.no, The Norwegian Society of Chartered Technical and Scientific Professionals (TEKNA), ISBN 82-91341-89-3 Ja